182 JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



In 1904 green limes to the value of ^6,853 were exported from 

 Dominica alone. The bulk of these were, however, shipped to New York. 

 Since the inauguration of the R.H.S. Colonial Fruit Shows, where this 

 fruit has been so well exhibited, many inquiries, and orders amounting to 

 several thousands of barrels, have been received from leading firms at home 

 for this fruit ; and so long as exporters exercise care in packing only 

 sound and uniform fruit this demand will continue to increase ; for once 

 a person has tasted a squash from a really good lime, lemon squashes will 

 go out of favour. 



The same care is exercised in gathering and packing the green limes 

 as is taken in the case of oranges. Only mature fruits are gathered, and 

 every care is taken to prevent the rind from being bruised, and thus 

 damaging the oil cells. After being gathered they are carefully selected 

 and graded, and each fruit wrapped separately in coloured tissue paper, 

 and packed in small well-ventilated crates, thus forming a very neat 

 and attractive package. Green limes first appeared on the list of exports 

 in the year 1886, when fruit to the value of £'34 was shipped. The 

 annual value of this export has now risen to the amount of £6,196. 



Pickled Limes. 



There is also a fair demand in the New York market for pickled limes. 

 The ripe limes are soaked in sea water for some time, the v/ater being 

 changed from time to time, and finally shipped, in a strong solution of 

 brine, in hogsheads. The first record of " pickled " limes being exported 

 appears to have been in 1878, fruit to the value of £68 being shipped. In 

 1906 this product reached the value of £606. 



Peesekved Peel. 



Attempts have been made to preserve the lime skins after the 

 extraction of the juice, the first attempt having been made as far back as 

 1874, some few years before essential oil, pickled or green limes were 

 exported. The trials, however, did not prove a successful venture, the 

 skin being too thin for this purpose. 



Industry. 



Having now dealt with the cultivation of the lime and the manufacture 

 of its products I will briefly review the progress of this industry from * 

 its commencement in 1848 to the present date. In doing so it is my 

 intention to confine my remarks to Dominica alone, as this island exports 

 three-quarters" of the total crop of the whole of the West Indies. 



During its initial years this industry could not be considered a reliable 

 one, as is clearly shown by referring to Table I., where it will be seen that 

 sometimes three or four years intervened between shipments. 



Lime juice first appears on the lists of exports in the year 1848, when 

 juice to the value of £282 was shipped, the annual value of this export 

 now being £45,370. The great progress made in this industry is shown 

 year by year in Table I., appended. The industry appears to have 

 suffered only one serious check in its rapid progress, this being in 



